Riverbend Survivor

We've been going to the Riverbend music festival in Chattanooga for the last several years and this was to be no exception. The trip had been planned for months to go with some friends we have known for nearly 30 years. This was done way before we knew that we had the boat or when we could actually get it moved. Since the big trip was completed and the boat was there, we figured we would just go stay on it and try for a spot on the wall at the festival.

I got on a waiting list and hoped for a call, but no luck. The boat was our hotel and we just drove in the first two days we were there. That was all good since we could walk around to the various stages and see different performers as well as the main stage. Wednesday was Dirks Bentley and Thursday was Lynyrd Skynyrd. It was great fun! Sadly, our friends had an emergency and had to leave early Friday morning. 

At this point, Regina and I decided to just go down to the Chattanooga Riverfront and anchor. This will be the first time we have seen the concert from the water side. Our slip neighbor "Doc" had already gone down and had a front row spot. The plan was to raft up with him so off we went on our first solo trip. Lock down thru Chickamauga was no problem although I must admit the perspective of locking down is way different than going up.  Doc was there with another boat so we rafted up on his port side, set the anchor and settled in to enjoy what he described as AMATEUR HOUR!!  This was Friday so the weekend was beginning. Today turns out to be relatively calm compared to what would happen on Saturday. 

Saturday was the final day and includes an amazing fireworks show. Everybody comes for that. We spend the afternoon fending off various boats that try to ram into us and struggling with a couple of others who actually hook the anchor rode of the boat we are rafted with. Thinking this couldn't get much worse, some guy in a boat in front of us decides to take a swim in the 3 knot current. We try to throw him a life ring, but he's gone too quick and he ends up about a half mile down river before he finally gets picked up.  

The crowd continues to arrive and attempt to deal with the flow and set things supposed to be anchors??  Now here we're talking buckets filled with concrete, CMU blocks, and all sorts of tiny little hooks usually tied on with something like ski rope. Most of these will not set, so its back and forth trying to hook. And then when these "anchors" let go, seeing how many others could be knocked off of theirs as they float downstream. This continues for hours, but finally is over before the fireworks begin. When the fireworks show is over, the freak show begins again. People are going in every direction, running into one another and getting tangled up. We just stay put and hope they will all miss us!!

Its now Sunday and time to head back to the marina. We wait until about noon and then head upstream for the lock. About the time we start, so do about 10 other boats!  This is getting interesting.  We all have to wait at the lock for a tug/barge to get thru and when we finally get in, there are 15 boats in the lock!!  Crazy maneuvering is required to get everyone in, but somehow it works. Up we go, one at a time we get unhooked and out the top side. From here is just a quick trip to the marina and by 3 Blue Ayes is back in her slip.  We survived!!!

The final two

On Wednesday June 5, we left Bay Hill just before 10 after a bit of a late night and thinking we had an easy day ahead of us. The plan was for 70 miles and one lock so we should be there early afternoon in time to relax and take care of a couple of minor issues with the boat. We only had to run about 62 miles, hit the lock and then 8 miles to the marina. Easy..........well not so fast

The run to the lock was easy enough. We had learned to call ahead on the cell phone to let the lock master know we were on the way. So when I called Guntersville lock and he said 2 1/2 hours before we could go up - well that just screwed the pooch. Not only were we not going to get there early, it was looking like we couldn't get to Alred Marina before they closed. We had a tug/barge in front of us and this guy was having issues.

The current from the lock/dam was running strong and I'm not saying that I'm any kind of expert boat captain, but it's not my real job either. So we sit and watch this tug driver first get stuck on the bank and then not be able to get his barges in the lock. This was the first time we had seen how the tug puts barges in the lock and then goes up after them. That's all cool, but they won't let us go up with the tug so we end up anchored waiting 3 1/2 hours to lock up.

Tom and I have the same boat insurance agent and he owns Alred Marina. That makes me think its a good place to stop and it is a nice place. Jon's brother stays late and meets us after closing time, we get a car and nice spot to dock, but the fuel prices just went back to Katrina days!!!  After a great seafood dinner in town, we get back to the boat and crash for the night.

I'm certain it must be 3AM when I hear my engines start up and all kinds of other noises outside.  After finding my glasses and phone, I determine it is 6 AM and Tom is up and has us moving. What in the world is going on??? Takes me a few to get it together and get outside. We're idling down the channel and Tom is reminding me that we loose an hour today between Central and Eastern time zones.

My math on our last day's run is wrong because I transposed numbers in the river mile location for Chickamauga. Instead of 60, we are 104 miles from destination.   Good thing we are moving.  Today I decide to call the locks way earlier than we had been. There are only two head us us - Nickajack and Chickamauga.  Nickajack tells us they have just locked down a boat and the lock is ready for us.  No delay. Zip right through.

Now the lock master did tell me he had just locked up two tug/barges. So we were looking, trying to figure if they could hold us up ahead. We caught the first one in a narrow part of the channel where the current is raging. This is crazy, but we take him on the inside and get away from the prop mess behind him. I catch the second one just before Chattanooga in Moccasin Bend. We get around, but have to stop at Ross's Landing for some fuel to be able to get to Chickamauga.

The final few miles are a breeze. The lock is waiting on us and the marina is right past the dam. We arrive and meet all the Erwin folks who have helped us so much. Found our slip and set it up. Toasted the trip and went to dinner. We're here, finally here, our first adventure is over. Now what's next?

On the Tennessee

This was planned as a day to take it easy - only 55 miles and two locks so we didn't leave until 9:15. It took 7 minutes from the marina to the spot where we entered the Tennessee River just above Pickwick Dam. The lake is very wide behind this dam and continues like that for miles. The banks seem to alternate between steep slopes and rock cliffs and there are places with lots of islands. One of the biggest differences from the Tenn-Tom is that there are now many homes on both sides of the river.

There is very little river traffic today. We pass one tug/barge headed upstream. Lots of people out fishing all over the lake. Before they would just be on the banks, here they are everywhere. Just before noon we reach Wilson lock. This is the third largest lock in the world with a 93 foot lift. Timing was perfect as we arrive just as a sailboat is coming out. Turns out this is also the newest and nicest lock we've been thru. Easy to tie up and no pockets in the walls. The most interesting thing is that the upstream door does not open like every other lock we've seen. It drops down and vanishes underwater.

With the door down, out we go headed for Wheeler lock 15 miles away. Our stop is only 13 miles after that so looks great for an early day until I call the lock and they advise that it will be two hours before we can go thru. Down to idle speed to kill about an hour and then anchor at the lock to wait. We get thru about 3:30 and head for Bay Hill Marina.

This is a small marina with really nice condos. The restaurant isn't open, but we meet Lee and Andrea while waiting for fuel. They've been out playing on their jet ski and are staying in one of the condos. After chatting for a while, they ask us if we would like to go into town with them for dinner. Went to a really good steakhouse and talked with them until past 10. Don't think we'll be starting out too early in the morning. Only two days to go.

Top of the Tenn- Tom

 It began as an absolutely beautiful Monday morning.  But that's the catch, it's a Monday. We took our time leaving Mid-Way and that was a mistake. The Coast Guard cutter Wedge was coming up the river and turns out to be right behind us. (Did you know all CG vessels are cutters?  This one was a buoy tender tug and barge). Now I can run at about 20 mph and he is doing about 8, but Government or military have priority so we have to wait on him at Rankin lock. Oh well, not a big deal since he is only 3 miles behind.  We wait, he gets there and goes in first, but we are promised first out. I've got 11 miles to next lock so he will be WAY behind me.

But first we have to deal with this lock which turns out to be cursed. All is well until we get a fender stuck in some kind of pocket in the wall. That creates some excitement getting it out and relocated to a flat area. With that done, what else could happen. Well about 5 feet from the top the floating bollard we are tied to quits floating and almost pulls the port side railing off the boat. After getting loose, we are now also loose in the lock and they're still filling. That takes some fast adjustments during which I bang the boat into the wall. All of this with the Coasties watching.  Cursed!!

So now I run to Montgomery lock and am told I have to wait for the CG boys to catch up and go in first again. And, by the way, if they don't mind the company, I can join them. No amount of begging will do any good so we anchor in the channel and wait again. This locking proceeds with no surprises or issues and I discuss with the cutter captain just following him to the next lock since once again he must go in first and ok my being there too.  He was a nice guy, but the lock master was, shall we say, less than amicable.

Witten lock is next and last of the day. This is the 4th highest lock in the USA with a lift of 85 feet and does it look different. The lock doors are like the ones in the King Kong movie. Remember where he was locked on that island?  Water is coming through holes in the walls and the bollards have no lips or bars to help hold the lines. We have some issues with that as well as pockets in the wall to catch fenders, but after our earlier practice run, we came out unscathed!

After leaving the lock, it is about a 38 (continues after pictures)

mile run to the end of the Tenn-Tom. We stopped at Grand Harbor marina for the night. This place is very nice, well run and have everything you could need. We can see the Tennessee River from here and will enter it tomorrow for the last legs of the trip.

Tenn-Tom upper half

On June 1, we left Demoplis marina just before 9 AM. At 9:30, we reached mile marker 225 which is the halfway point between the Gulf and the Tennessee River. A little past this point is a large chalk cliff area which has the appearance of a fortress. This cliff line continues for almost a mile and is quite impressive. Thirteen miles after this comes another cliff area called Epes.  These large white cliffs are a very interesting sight.

As we continued up the waterway, there were numbers of tugs and barges, a few ski boats and lots of fisherman.  I've started to get pretty comfortable with the tug/ barge traffic. Interestingly, most of the ones we encountered were coming downstream. As long as these guys don't totally take their half out of the middle it's not too bad passing. The ones going in the same direction can be a little tricky. You call these on the radio and negotiate how the pass will be done. The folks fishing along the banks are a bit if a pain though. They're often hard to see and you have to slow down to a no wake speed to keep from blowing them out.  The others are the ones that tend to be humorous - particularly the guys who decide that they just want to blow by full speed. Watching them fly off the wake behind the boat is like seeing Evel Knievel try to jump the Grand Canyon. Stuff is flying around, people are bouncing off the seats, one guy lost his ball cap and it goes on and on.

Mixed in with all of this activity were our next three locks. We locked up through Hefflin, Belvil and Stennis Dams. After some shaky experiences with the first two locks the day before, these went pretty well. I handled the boat through them all and by the last one, Regina was working it like a pro!!  She is in charge of roping one of the floating bollards and tying off to keep the boat under control. In the process, she has perfected the "rabbit hole knot" - that's a bowline to all of you who weren't scouts.

Three miles after the last lock is Columbus Marina.  Nice quiet little place where we met Mike and Jo who live on their 42 foot Silverton. We shared one of the courtesy cars and went into town for dinner. By the time we got back, it was down for the count. I didn't even hear the huge thunderstorm that hit in the middle of the night.

Sunday morning began by drying the helm from the thunderstorm. Learned my lesson about leaving the windows open. At least the rain did wash the rest of the boat as well. We're beginning to get he Gulf salt all washed off.

This was planned to be a short day - about 60 miles and 4 locks. So we cruised out about 9, headed north up the channel for the first lock about 20 miles away. Our now experienced two person team zipped through Aberdeen lock and then about an hour later Amory lock.  Thinking we were certainly now set to reach our destination early, we got to Wilkens lock in time to watch a tug/barge enter ahead of us. Then the lock master told us we would also have to wait for a south bound tug/barge to go thru before we could continue. By the time we got out of the lock and moving again, we had lost an hour. Now it was a run to try to get to Fulton lock before the barge did, but no such luck. We caught up with him about a mile before the lock so it was twiddling time again.

From the lock to Mid-Way Marina is about 3 miles. We arrived about 3:30 and after completing all of the usual chores, decided to go to town for an early dinner and Wal-Mart stop. The marina has a courtesy car so off we went for a Mexican restaurant everyone had told us about. It was time for chips, salsa and a big margarita - until we discovered this was a dry county. Well, at least we got chips and salsa!

Tombigbee part 2

Today was an opportunity to get back on the planned schedule. Beginning with a 6:15 departure from our quiet anchorage, we began a 12 hour, roughly 170 mile day. The trip took us thru virtually untouched areas. Most of the time the water was like glass and the sky was royal blue. We saw only two other cruisers - one headed north and one southbound. There were, however, many tugs pushing barges.

About 60 miles north of our anchorage is Coffeeville lock.  This will be our first time ever locking thru. It when pretty smooth, but we learned some things about the boat and better ways to place lines and fenders for locking. All those things that I had heard about slimy lock walls are true.

Two miles above the lock is Bobby's Fish Camp. This place is know for its catfish dinners and is still run by Bobby's daughter. The bad part is that they don't serve lunch and we had no time to wait around for dinner. Next time we find out how good it is. We did fuel up and talk to the daughter. Very interesting little place on a little rise above the river.

About 100 miles past Bobby's is Demoplis lock. Our set up and process when much better the second time. We had to wait for a southbound tug and barge to lock thru before we could enter. Our sunny day began to turn grey and just as we were in with lines secured, the skies broke open and soaked us. No time to say "wait a minute, I need a raincoat"!!

A few miles past the lock is Demoplis Yacht Basin. This is a very nice facility.  I backed the boat into a slip for the first time on the third try here. Borrowed their courtesy pick up truck and went into town for dinner and groceries. With that done and a short discussion of tomorrow's plan, it's off to bed. This was quite a day!!